Music Is For Everyone
by Auryn Rei Evroren
Summary: A oneshot I wrote for me, myself, and I. The reappearance of everyone's favorite pianist, Machi Tobaye! The ch2 song link is on my profile!
1. Say You're Sorry

**Music Is For Everyone  
**

_A Oneshot Written For My Own Enjoyment_

"Polly….I'm bored."

"Then find something to entertain yourself, Truce. Practice your magic tricks."

"But I practiced all morning! Mr. Hat is tired now."

"Then call a friend or something."

"They're all on vacation. It's a holiday weekend, remember?"

"Trucy, I'm busy."

"You don't look busy to me."

"Sleeping counts."

Apollo lay on his back on the couch, an open book laid upside-down on his chest on the pretense that the rookie lawyer planned to finish it…eventually. Trucy stood behind the couch, arms propped up on its back, trying in vain to convince Apollo to get up and do something.

"Can we go see Vera?"

"No."

"Detective Skye?"

"Oh _God_ no."

"Mr. Gavin?"

"I'd sooner have my hearing ruined for eternity. Which I might, if we see _him._"

"Come on, Polly!"

Apollo groaned in annoyance as Trucy grabbed his hand and dragged him to his feet. The book fell to the floor, and snapped shut.

"Now, look, Truce, you made me lose my place."

"You weren't going to finish it anyway."

"Where are you dragging me?"

"I don't know yet. I'll find somewhere."

She gave it a moment's thought, then her smile brightened.

"We can go see Papa at the Borscht Bowl Club!"

Apollo gave up.

"Fine."

Trucy let out an excited squeal, and forcibly dragged Apollo out the door.

* * *

"Trucy, slow down."

"Polly, speed up!"

"Truce, come on, I'm tired-"

"Then this is the perfect way to wake up!"

…………

"Wait- what's that?"

"Where?"

"Over there!"

Apollo caught only a slight glimpse of a small, blonde head disappearing around a corner. Whoever it was obviously didn't want to be seen. But who was it? And why had they caught Trucy's attention?

"Trucy, who did you see?"

"I don't know, but he looked familiar…"

"He?"

"I'm sure it was a boy."

As soon as the words had left her mouth, Trucy took off for the corner. Sighing dejectedly, Apollo followed. They peeked around the corner.

The boy jumped about a mile. Obviously he didn't think they had seen him. Well, they certainly had, and Trucy was right. He _was_ familiar.

"Machi!"

Machi Tobaye had backed himself into the little mini-corner made up of the cement corner-marking monument and the iron-bar fence that ran along the sidewalk's edge. He was dressed as he always had been, in his white, lacy clothse, but he had thrown a simplistic navy blue coat over it. Strangely enough, he still wore the sunglasses that he had always worn for the sake of Lamiroir's reputation, and he currently looked more than a little bit scared.

"Machi, are you okay?" Trucy asked.

He responded in rapid Borginian.

"Machi, we can't understand," Trucy told him slowly.

That was when it seemed to dawn on him. He remembered who they were.

"Yes- you are- Trucy, yes?" he said in broken English. Trucy smiled, and nodded.

"And this is Polly!" she said brightly, pointing at Apollo.

Machi smiled, for just a moment, but then panic returned to his face.

"De- detective! Throw.." He struggled for a moment, then indicated some small object with his hands. "..at me!"

_Uh oh…I think I see where THIS is going…_

Sure enough, Apollo was right. The first thing he saw when he looked up was the figure of the irritable Detective Skye running towards them, Snackoos in hand.

"Justice! Tell him I'm not going to hurt him!"

Ema did not look in any way pleased. Apollo just smirked at her.

"Did you throw Snackoos at him, Detective Skye?"

"Of course I didn't- well, yeah, just one. I didn't see who it was," she explained, blushing slightly. "I wouldn't have done it if I'd known it was _him_…"

Apollo just sighed and shook his head, Phoenix Wright style.

"Ema…say you're sorry."

She rolled her eyes, then looked at Machi.

"I'm sorry, kid, okay? I didn't see it was you."

Machi seemed to take a minute to digest what she'd said…or to translate, more likely. Then he smiled at her, and held out a hand. Ema grinned, and accepted it.

"Truce, kid."

It was then that Ema glanced down at her watch.

"Oh, crap, I'm gonna be late!"

Waving a hasty goodbye, she took off around the corner at a run.

Then Apollo and Trucy turned their attention back to Machi.

"Machi, what are you doing here?" Trucy asked.

He shrugged.

"Don't know."

Trucy gave it a moment's silence before she lit up.

"You can come with us!"

_What?! Trucy, what are you doing?!_

"We're going to watch Papa play!"

Machi was confused. But he smiled anyway.

"Okay. I come."


	2. Lamiroir Not Hear

Hey Everyone

_**Hey Everyone. Auryn here. So anyway, I hope you all like this story...Machi Tobaye has been one of my favorite characters ever since I first played Apollo Justice. For this particular chapter, I decided to let Machi show off a bit and play some of his wonderful music. The song I wrote as having him playing can be found using the link on my profile labeled "Machi's Song" (I tried to put it here, but the Doc Writer is being stupid)**_**  
**_**  
Please give it a listen...for Machi, okay?  
Thanks!  
-Auryn-**_

"Hi Daddy!"

Phoenix looked up from his place at the piano bench, where he was doing absolutely nothing. A smile split his face when he saw Trucy and Apollo.

"Hey, Trucy! Apollo, it's good to see you get out. My girl finally wake you up?" Apollo's annoyed response was grumbling and inaudible, but the intent was obvious.

"Daddy, we brought someone to see you!" Trucy squealed. She reached back to drag Machi out from behind Apollo, but the older young man threw out a hand to stop her.

"Why not let him come out for _himself_, Trucy?" he said. Or, in other words, _Stop. You'll scare him again.He's not good with strangers, remember?_

Trucy paused, then her eyes widened in understanding. She nodded and gave Apollo a thumbs-up. He grinned at her, then looked behind him.

"Machi…you can come out now, if you want."

Several moments passed before Machi finally edged out from behind Apollo, carefully not looking anyone in the eye. _The kid's worse off than I thought,_ Apollo said to himself. _It's like working with Vera again._

"This is my Daddy, Machi!" said Trucy, bouncing up and down with joy. "He's a piano player, like you!"

Well _that_ caught Machi's attention.He said nothing, but he did take off his sunglasses to reveal eagerly wide eyes. Phoenix noticed, and smiled. "Not well, I'll admit."

Machi seemed rather surprised by Phoenix's out-of-nowhere speech, and shrank back again. Apollo sighed, and signaled Trucy and Phoenix that they needed to have a little side-discussion.

"Skittish, is he?"

"He doesn't understand most English. And he's had a rough day."

"Oh?"

"Detective Skye Snackoo'd him- apparently she didn't recognize him."

"Ouch…that _would_ be a bit freakish."

"I think Trucy's a bit overwhelming, too."

"Polly! That's not nice!"

"Doesn't mean it's not _true._"

Trucy's comeback was abruptly cut off as one of the most beautiful meoldies any of them had ever heard came drifting through the air above their heads. All around the restaurant, peoples' heads turned to listen, and to see who the hell was playing so beautifully. Certainly it was the poker-playing hobo. The notes were too smooth, the harmonies too sorrowfully wonderful to be any work of his.

Phoenix, Apollo, and Trucy all stared with wide and unbelieving eyes as Machi played, and played, and played. They weren't planning on stopping him any time soon…the song was too beautiful.

The melody was standard, a repeating motif, but the harmonies strayed in many directions, making the song much more complicated than one would think. Even then, it was a sad melody, one that caught the listener's attention with only the slightest strange note. It was incredibly unique. Trucy's eyes moved back and forth as she watched Machi's fingers flow seamlessly across the keys, creating a sound much more lovely than anyone at the Borscht Bowl Club had previously heard. Apollo and Phoenix just stood there in disbelief, unable to even comprehend the amazing sonud that Machi had created.

Slowly, to everyone's disappointment, the song slowed…and ended. It was several moments before they all returned to their food, games, and conversations.

"Machi…that was _beautiful!"_ said Trucy, much more softly than usual, as if she were afraid that if she spoke louder, she would ruin the lovely aura that Machi's music had inspired. "That wasn't one of Lamiroir's songs, was it?" she asked incredulously.

Machi shook his head. "Mine," he said, a bit shyly. "Lamiroir…not hear."

"She hasn't heard it yet?" Trucy exclaimed. "You have to play it for her, Machi! She'll love it!"

Machi shook his head again, and looked away. "Lamiroir not hear."

Apollo was confused. "You mean…she doesn't want to hear it, or you don't want to play it for her?"

Machi wrapped his coat more snugly around himself, and did not meet Apollo's gaze. "Lamiroir…not see me. Not know about…"

He struggled to find the words, and failed.

Luckily, he had Trucy to piece things together.

"You haven't seen her since they let you go, she doesn't know you're free? Why not?"

Machi didn't answer.

"Trucy," Apollo muttered. "I bet he doesn't think she'll want to see him. I wouldn't, if I were him."

"Why not, Polly?" Trucy asked, oblivious. Apollo drew her away, and he and Phoenix explained.

"Truce…Machi was arrested for smuggling. If he weren't a minor, he would've been locked up for a lot longer than just a few months. It's a big deal," Apollo told her.

"Machi probably thinks that Lamiroir won't want anything to do with him," Phoenix observed.

"That's right," Apollo picked up. "You saw her face when she found out that it was true. I bet he didn't miss it…I think he's afraid to go back to her, after the shame he put them both through."

Trucy looked back at Machi, who still sat on the piano bench. He was looking at the black and white keys, almost as if he longed to touch them again…but he was afraid. All three of them could see it.

"I don't understand," she said softly. "He knows Lamiroir better than anyone. Wouldn't he know that she wouldn't hate him for that?"

Apollo just scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know, Truce," he said. Phoenix said nothing at all.

They just stood there, watching the young pianist as he fought with the difficult feelings that had obviously been tearing at him since he was let go.

A tear slid down Trucy's cheek.

"I'm sorry, Machi," she whispered.


	3. Together We Are Lamiroir

_Ring…ring…ring…_

_Click._

"_Hello?"_

"_Oh, hello…Lamiroir?"_

"_Yes? Who am I speaking to?"_

"_This is Apollo Justice- do you remember me?"_

_Pause._

"_Of course, Apollo. I could never, __**ever**__ forget you."_

_Pause._

"_Uh…right, well. You see, I wanted to tell you about something that happened to me and Trucy the other day. Yesterday, I mean."_

"_What is it?"_

"_Well, we were out walking, and we saw…"_

_Pause._

"_What did you see?"_

"_It was Machi."_

_Sharp intake of breath._

"_Machi? He is free now? Where is he? Apollo, you must tell me!"_

"_Whoa, whoa…okay. He's fine, he spent the night with us last night. Me and Trucy and Mr. Wright, I mean."_

_Pause._

"_That is good…I suppose. Why did not return to me?"_

"_That's actually what we were wondering. But we can't make any sense out of him."_

_Pause._

"_Actually, I think- I think he's afraid."_

"_Afraid?"_

"_Afraid to come back, I mean. I think he's scared of what you'll think of him. I mean, he __**was**__ arrested, and put on trial for a pretty big crime-"_

"_Please, Apollo."_

"_Oh, sorry. Anyway, I was wondering- could you come down here and talk to him? I think if you come and tell him that you want him back, he'll come. He just needs to hear it from you."_

_Pause._

"_I'm afraid- it will have to be quick. You see, I am due to catch a plane to Egypt late tomorrow afternoon."_

"_Th-that's fine! We'll make it quick, I promise!"_

"_I believe you, Apollo. It's not a problem. Besides, I cannot possibly perform in Egypt without Machi."_

"_Uh, right!"_

"_I shall see you tomorrow, then? What time?"_

_shuffle, shuffle muffled voices_

"_Anytime's fine, we'll be here all day."_

"_Then I shall see you at eleven o'clock."_

"_That's fine! See you then."_

_Click._

_Click._

* * *

For three hours, Apollo paced. Well, not solidly, but he was never still. He was too nervous to be still. The seconds ticked by, counting down the time until Lamiroir would arrive…

"Polly…are you nervous?"

Apollo jumped about a mile. He hadn't even heard Trucy come up!

"What?! No, I'm not nervous, not at all, what are you talking about!" he rattled off quickly.

In the background, he heard Phoenix's deep chuckle.

"You're like a porcupine in a room full of balloons," he said, laughing.

Apollo's face went bright red.

"S-shouldn't I be nervous? I mean, she hasn't seen him since-"

"Polly, calm down!"

There went Trucy, cheerful as ever.

"Nothing can go wrong- remember what Lamiroir said? _'Together- Machi and I –we are Lamiroir.' _"

Apollo sighed. "I guess you're right, Truce- but I'm still worried about him."

All three of them subtly cast their eyes over to the door to the small bedroom of the apartment, where Machi was. He had been laying down on the bed all day, practically comatose, not moving at all. Trucy had tried her best to convince him to play Phoenix's piano, but Machi had refused. So the other three had inhabited the living room all day, all more or less on pins and needles, in their different fashions.

Once again, Apollo jumped about a foot in the air when he heard the knock on the door. He leaped up, and he and Trucy reached the door at the same time, wrestling for the handle. In the end, Apollo won, and opened the door to reveal a stunningly beautiful woman dressed in a lacy white dress, with a dark blue shawl over it.

"H-hello, uh, Lamiroir," he said as smoothly as he could. From behind him, he felt Trucy wave.

"Hello," the woman greeted them warmly, giving each of them a hug. By now, Phoenix had appeared behind them as well.

"Lamiroir," he said by way of greeting, nodding gracefully to her. "Hello, Mr. Wright. I have heard so much about you." Then she turned to Apollo, as he was the one with whom she had spoken.

"Apollo. Tell me, where is Machi?"

With a sigh, Apollo pointed to the bedroom door. "He's in the bedroom." Without a word, Lamiroir swept past him, guided by the enthusiastic Trucy. She entered the room quietly, and closed the door behind her. Now all they could do was wait.

Trucy kept her ear pressed to the door for a moment, before Phoenix called her back.

"Trucy, leave them alone."

"It doesn't matter, Daddy…they're talking in Borginese."

So they sat in silence. Trucy flipped through a card deck halfheartedly, and Apollo attempted to finish reading that book (he failed miserably, unable to concentrate). Only Phoenix seemed to be perfectly content. He seemed not to even entertain the idea that Machi and Lamiroir might leave at odds.

The minutes ticked by slowly…almost as slowly as before Lamiroir had arrived. Then the bedroom door opened again.

This time, it was Machi who appeared. He wore his sunglasses, and his expression was unreadble, but his intent was obvious. He headed straight for the piano. Trucy, eager to hear his song once again, helped him clear her magic things off of it so that Machi could play. Lamiroir reentered the room in complete silence, her blind eyes cloudy and equally expressionless.

Machi sat down at the piano…

…and that beautiful, beautiful song filled the air once more. The intertwining of melody and harmony was a thousand times more lovely than the first time it was played, and there was a new lightness to Machi's fingers as they flowed across the keys. His face glowed with happiness, a happiness that was echoed in the beautiful face of Lamiroir.

When the song ended, Machi spoke to Lamiroir in cautious Borginese, as if he were waiting for approval. Lamiroir replied to him, her face filled with joy, then translated for the Wrights and Apollo.

"I told him it was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard him play before," she said. "Usually it is I who writes the melodies to our songs, but now…now I am not so sure." She smiled ruefully. "I have been outdone by a fourteen-year-old genius, it seems."

Trucy giggled. "Not outdone, Lamiroir," she told the woman, almost confidentially. "Only equaled."

Apollo nodded his agreement. "As soon as you put lyrics to that, it'll be the best song that the two of you have ever come up with!"

Lamiroir laughed softly, then turned back to Machi.

"Do you not see, Machi? I cannot be Lamiroir without you…and I care about you too much to abandon you." Lamiroir's voice was soft and slightly pleading.

After several moments of hanging silence, Machi turned to Lamiroir. A small tear trickled down his cheek. He mumbled something in very low, volume-less Borginese.

Apparently, whatever it was, Machi's statement was a good thing, because the next thing they knew, he and Lamiroir were embracing each other tightly.

"Does this mean…we are Lamiroir again, my dear Machi?"

…

_"Y-yes."_

**End final chapter.**


End file.
